Scabiosa plant named &#39;Balfluttdelu&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Scabiosa  plant named ‘Balfluttdelu’, characterized by its medium violet-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

LATIN NAME OF GENUS AND SPECIES OF PLANT CLAIMED

Scabiosa columbaria

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Balfluttdelu’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Scabiosa plant botanically known as Scabiosa columbaria and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balfluttdelu’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Guadalupe, Calif. during September 2009. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Scabiosa cultivars that have large inflorescences with rich flower colors and a compact growth habit.

The new Scabiosa cultivar is the result of open-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is ‘Butterfly Blue’, not patented, characterized by its light violet-blue colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, low growth vigor and semi-upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is unknown. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated open-pollination during July 2010 in a controlled environment in Guadalupe, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since July 2010 in Guadalupe, Calif., and Elburn, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balfluttdelu’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Scabiosa plant:

-   -   1. Medium violet-colored flowers;     -   2. Dark green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, compact-mounded growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Scabiosa cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is the female parent ‘Butterfly Blue’, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Butterfly Blue’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a darker flower color than         plants of ‘Butterfly Blue’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have shorter peduncles than plants         of ‘Butterfly Blue’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a more compact habit than         plants of ‘Butterfly Blue’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balfluttdelu’. The plants were grown in 1 gallon containers for approximately 8 weeks in a greenhouse and 9 weeks outdoors in Elburn, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balfluttdelu’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Balfluttdelu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in June 2015 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill. The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in 1 gallon containers for approximately 8 weeks in a greenhouse and 9 weeks outdoors in Elbum, Ill. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 60° F. to 68° F. (15.5° C. to 20° C.) during the day and approximately 55° F. to 60° F. (13° C. to 15.5° C.) during the night. No supplemental lighting was provided. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Scabiosa columbaria cultivar Balfluttdelu. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—‘Butterfly Blue’, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Unknown. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 12 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 35 to 42             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine to medium, creamy white to             light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 8 to 10 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             compact-mounded.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 43.0 cm. Width: Approximately 51.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Basal rosette, freely branching, pinching             enhances basal branching. Quantity of main stems per plant:             Approximately 5, with each main branch having 6 lateral             branches.         -   Main stems.—Strength: Strong. Length to base of peduncle:             Approximately 18.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 6.0 mm.             Length of central internode: Approximately 3.2 mm. Texture:             Densely pubescent with appressed hairs. Color of young and             mature stems: Close to 138A, appears lighter due to             pubescence. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 16. Fragrance: None detected. Form: Simple.             Arrangement: Opposite.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem, tips turning downward             with age. Shape: Overall obovate. Margin: Pinnatisect, less             dissected earlier in season and as a young plant. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Attenuate, sessile. Venation pattern:             Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 12.0 cm. Width             of mature leaf: Approximately 7.5 cm. Texture of upper             surface: Margins moderately pubescent with appressed hairs.             Texture of lower surface: Sparsely pubescent, venation             moderately pubescent with appressed hairs. Color of upper             surface of young and mature foliage: 137A with venation             indistinguishable from leaf lamina except for midvein of             145C. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage:             137C with venation indistinguishable from leaf lamina except             for midvein of 145A. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balfluttdelu’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from late spring through late summer.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 8 to 10 days. -   Inflorescence Description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Involucrate heads. Corolla not             persistent, bristled calyx persistent. Shape: Dome. Aspect:             Facing upward to slightly outward. Arrangement: Terminal             involucrate heads displayed above the foliar plane on long             peduncles. Fragrance: None detected. Quantity per plant:             Approximately 30. Diameter: Approximately 4.8 cm. Inner             cushion diameter: Approximately 2.3 cm. Depth: Approximately             1.7 cm.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to slightly wiry.             Length: Approximately 21.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately             3.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with appressed hairs.             Color: Close to 138A, appears lighter due to pubescence.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 4             days for bud to progress from first color to fully open             flower.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovate. Length:             Approximately 6.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Color:             145D with 91B at apex.         -   Outer florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 24.             Arrangement: In two whorls. Shape: Funnel, 5 lobes, 3 broad             upper lobes with the central lobe being the largest, and 2             small lower lobes. Lobes are fused at the base forming a             tube. Length: Approximately 2.2 cm. Width: Approximately             1.4 cm. Upper lobes: Shape: Narrowly obovoid to oblong.             Margin: Scalloped. Apex: Erose to rounded. Length of central             lobe from throat: Approximately 1.2 cm. Width of central             lobe: Approximately 7.0 mm. Length of lateral lobes from             throat: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width of lateral lobes:             Approximately 6.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous.             Texture of lower surface: Central lobe and base of lateral             lobes densely pubescent. Color of upper surface when fully             open: N88B to N88C fades to N88D with age. Color of lower             surface when fully open: N88D with NN155A at base. Lower             lobes: Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire, slightly wavy. Apex:             Scalloped. Length from throat: Approximately 4.0 mm. Width:             Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous.             Texture of lower surface: Base densely pubescent. Color of             upper surface when fully open: N88B to N88C fades to N88D             with age. Color of lower surface when fully open: N88D with             NN155A at base. Tube: Length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter             at base: Approximately 1.0 mm. Diameter at throat:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Sparsely             pubescent. Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent.             Color of inner and outer surfaces: NN155A.         -   Inner florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 26.             Arrangement: In multiple whorls. Shape: Funnel, 5 lobes, 3             broad upper lobes with the central lobe being the largest,             and 2 small lower lobes. Lobes are fused at the base forming             a tube. Length: Approximately 1.4 cm. Width: Approximately             4.0 mm. Upper lobes: Shape: Oblong. Margin: Entire, slightly             wavy. Apex: Rounded. Length of central lobe from throat:             Approximately 5.0 mm. Width of central lobe: Approximately             2.0 mm. Length of lateral lobes from throat: Approximately             4.0 mm. Width of lateral lobes: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower             surface: Central lobe and lower half of lateral lobes             densely pubescent. Color of upper surface when fully open:             N88C to N88D. Color of lower surface when fully open: N88D             with NN155A at base, central lobe has overlay of 84B. Lower             lobes: Shape: Oblong. Margin: Entire, slightly wavy. Apex:             Rounded. Length from throat: Approximately 2.0 mm. Width:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous.             Texture of lower surface: Lower half densely pubescent.             Color of upper surface when fully open: N88C to N88D. Color             of lower surface when fully open: N88D with NN155A at base.             Tube: Length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Diameter at base:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Diameter at throat: Approximately             2.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Sparsely pubescent.             Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color of inner             and outer surfaces: NN155A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: 2 whorls. Outer whorl: 5 fused sepals.             Shape: Cup-like. Height: Approximately 2.0 mm. Width:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Apex: Scalloped. Texture of inner             surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer surface: Densely             pubescent. Color of inner and outer surfaces: NN155D,             translucent with base of 137A. Inner whorl: 5 pappus-like             setae attached at base. Length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Color:             187A with base of 145A.         -   Floral bracts.—Quantity: One per floret. Shape: Obovate.             Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Length:             Approximately 4.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture             of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer surface:             Densely pubescent. Color of inner and outer surfaces: 137A,             outer surface appears lighter due to pubescence.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence:             Approximately 12. Arrangement: In a single whorl. Shape:             Linear to lanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base:             Truncate. Length: Approximately 1.1cm. Width: Approximately             2.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Sparsely pubescent.             Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color of inner             and outer surfaces: 137A, outer surface appears lighter due             to pubescence.         -   Receptacle.—Shape: Conical. Height: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm. Color: Closest to N144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium and gynoecium: Present on             both inner and outer florets. Stamen quantity: 4 per floret,             base of filaments adnate to corolla. Stamen length:             Approximately 8.0 mm. Filament length of free portion:             Typically 1.0 mm but can be up to 5.0 mm in inner florets.             Filament color: NN155D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Anther color: 84B aging to 161B.             Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: NN155D. Pistil             quantity: 1 per floret. Pistil length: Approximately 1.4 cm.             Stigma shape: Oblate. Stigma length: Less than 1 mm. Stigma             color: Close to NN155D. Style length: Approximately 1.3 cm.             Style color: NN155D with an overlay of N87B on upper third.             Ovary length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary color: NN155D. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Scabiosa has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Scabiosa plant named ‘Balfluttdelu’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 